Colton slammed the stack of files onto his desk, the glass of whiskey beside it trembling. “Again,” he hissed under his breath, his eyes narrowing at the name etched on the report. Sebastian Rhys.
Another deal lost. Two in a row–both billion–dollar opportunities.
He had never despised someone as much as he did Sebastian. That smug, polished, too–perfect billionaire who seemed to walk into any room and win everyone over with nothing more than a handshake and a cold smile. And now he was making it a habit to humiliate Colton in boardrooms across the country.
But that wasn’t what truly infuriated him.
It had been weeks since Ellie left.
At first, he laughed at her divorce. He’d crumpled the papers, shredded them, convinced himself it was just another tantrum. She’d done this before, hadn’t she? Run away. Gone quiet. Then returned, crawling back.
But this time… she didn’t.
And as the days passed, Colton found himself haunted by the silence she left behind.
He walked through the front door every night expecting something–anything. The soft hum of a kettle. The scent of baked garlic bread. The faint trail of her perfume lingering in the hallway.
But now? There was nothing.
He wandered through the house with his fists clenched. Her shoes were gone. Her coat wasn’t on the rack. Even her old coffee mug–the one with the chipped handle–was missing from the kitchen.
He opened her side of the closet and found it empty.
All of it was gone.
And only now did the weight of her absence press down on him like a curse he couldn’t
shake.
He remembered the way Ellie used to sit by the window, humming to herself while flipping through architecture books, whispering little dreams she was too afraid to say out loud. He remembered her sleepy smiles in the morning, the soft sighs she made when she thought no one was watching. How she always made sure the light in his office was on when he got home late, how she never once let his birthday pass without a homemade cake–even if he forgot hers every year.
“God,” he muttered, dragging a hand through his hair, his chest tightening. “What the hell did I do?”
A sharp knock pulled him from his thoughts.
One of his assistants rushed in, brows knitted with urgency. “Sir… we’ve completed the
AUBAR UAH salad fag”
Chapter 11
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no one was watching. How she always made sure the light in his office was on when he got home late, how she never once let his birthday pass without a homemade cake–even if he forgot hers every year.
“God,” he muttered, dragging a hand through his hair, his chest tightening. “What the hell did I do?”
A sharp knock pulled him from his thoughts.
One of his assistants rushed in, brows knitted with urgency. “Sir… we’ve completed the
sweep you asked for.”
“And?” Colton snapped.
“There’s… there’s no trace of her, sir. No recent activity. We traced her brother, Lucas’s records… and according to the hospital–he’s listed as deceased.”
The words hit Colton like a bullet.
“What?” he barked. “No–no, that can’t be right.”
“I’m sorry, sir. That’s what the files say. Declared dead a few weeks ago after falling off the cliff. No further records after that.”
Colton’s vision blurred. Lucas was dead?
He hadn’t meant for that. God knows, he hated the kid’s smug glances, but death? He never wanted that. He just wanted to scare Ellie for not telling her where Shania was. But now it cost him everything.
Ellie…. had she left him out of grief? Did she think he didn’t care?
Guilt stabbed at him like a knife as he leaned over the desk, knuckles white.
“Find her,” he growled. “Find Ellie. I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t care what it takes.”
“Yes, sir.”
Once alone, Colton dropped into his chair. He clenched his jaw, forcing back the wave building in his chest. Not now. He was Colton. He didn’t break.
He was still staring blankly at the desk when Shania waltzed in.
“I made dinner,” she said with a bright smile. “Your favorite steak. Just how you like it.” Colton didn’t respond. He stood slowly, following her into the dining room like a ghost. He sat. Picked up the knife and fork. Took one bite.
Then spat it out.
“This is disgusting.”
Shania’s smile faltered. “What?”
“I said–it’s disgusting!” he roared, flinging the plate to the floor. It shattered into pieces. Shania stepped back, startled. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”
He stared at the mess, chest heaving. “It’s not the same,” he muttered.
“What?”
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He stated at the thess, Crest heavily. Its not the banne, he uttered.
“What?”
“It’s not like how she made it…” His voice cracked.
Shania crossed her arms. “So this is about Ellie again?”
He didn’t answer.
“She left you, Colton. She divorced you. She doesn’t care about you!”
“No,” he whispered. “She wouldn’t just leave me. She… she needs to come back.” Shania stared in disbelief. “Are you serious? After everything, you still want her back?”
He turned to her, eyes red. “She’s my wife.”
“You promised me marriage!” Shania snapped. “You said she meant nothing. That you owned her-”
Colton slammed his fist against the table. “Get out.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to see you again. Get out of my house.”
Shania gawked, rage flashing in her eyes. “You’re throwing me out over her?”
“Leave,” he said, turning his back to her.
Moments later, he heard the slam of the door.
He went back to his room, dropped onto the bed, and buried his face into the pillow where Ellie’s scent used to linger.
And for the first time in years, Colton cried.
Tears rolled down his cheeks as he whispered into the silence.
“Please come back, Ellie. Please.”
08:19 Sat, 24 May
Colton must have been dreaming.
